Quixotic Relapse
by AznAnimeGrl2649
Summary: .:NejiTen:. [STAND ALONE] Naruto-verse. The thin line between duty and devotion begins to blur when a story is told from the beginning. "To everyone else she is only his teammate, but to him, she is his only secret."
1. Part One

**A/N:** I know I have other stories I have to update, but I couldn't help myself to create another one, especially another NejiTen story. I am still disappointed at the support for this canon ship. So, I decided to do something about it. This is a different appraoch, not really an alternate universe, however it might as well be. Read the summary, you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyways, I would appreciate it if I receive more votes on my poll. Other than that, happy reading!

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**Notes:**

_Souke_- Main family

_Bunke_-Branch family

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**Started:** Sunday, August 10, 2008

**Draft Finished:** Tuesday, August 12, 2008

**Fiction:** Continuation

**Rated:** PG-13

**Disclaimer:** The character and names of Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi-sensei. This story belongs to me.

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** NejiTen

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Summary:** When Tenten was found by Hyuuga Hizashi at an early age, she had no recollection who she was except her name. Feeling in debt, Tenten devoted her life to serve the Hyuuga family. In due time, she became the servant of none other than Hyuuga Neji after vowing to watch over him, a promise she made to her savior. However, Tenten gets more than she bargains for when she struggles to understand him. Despite that, she would be by his side. A story of devotion and duty. This is the story about Tenten's life, the reason she why has no family name because she is a servant of the Hyuuga household.

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**Quixotic Relapse**

_Part One_

* * *

**Tenten**

When I was four years old, Hyuuga Hizashi saved me. No one needed to remind me how lucky I was, nevertheless I would never forget how he saved me that day. Cold, tired, hungry I wandered through the streets of Konoha with no memory of who I was except my name. Eventually, I collapsed due to fatigue and found myself warm in bed the moment I awoke. I had no where to go, no money, no family, and out of pity, Hizashi-sama decided that I should remain in the _Bunke_ household where he would watch over me. I made no protest in the matter and on that day, I devoted my life to serve the Hyuuga family. This is where my story began.

* * *

Little feet darted across the wooden floors of the Hyuuga manor with experience as the boy tried to be swift. At the age of four, Neji was just as curious as any child. With a clear path of his destination, the young boy ran with grace, being careful to not make any noise. He didn't want to be scold by older members of the Hyuuga household who strictly enforced the "no running within the compound" rule.

Upon hearing his father's return from town, Neji couldn't help but want to greet his father. Sure, he had been gone almost half the day, probably wanting to spar with him afterwards, however that wasn't the only reason he wanted to see his father. He had heard from the other servants that his father brought "someone" home with him and that "someone" was a girl his age. His first instinct was to question the reason why his father would bring a girl home, to the Hyuuga household nonetheless, and his second was to meet her. She must be an extraordinary person if she had caught the interest of Hyuuga Hizashi.

Turning the corner, Neji finally came face to face with the entrance to the room where his father and the mysterious girl reside. Then without warning, the panel slid open. The person who stood in sight was Hizashi, who peered down at his son.

"Neji, there is someone I want you to meet," the younger twin guided his son toward the figure in the room. Sitting with her legs crossed, the girl with auburn locks tied in two neat buns nibbled on a steam white bun. Donned in clothes similar to his own, her face was full of joy and it seemed to radiate off her. The smile on her features mirrored the one on Neji's face.

"Hello," the boy blushed. This was the first time he has ever met a girl beside his cousin, Hinata-sama and Hinabi-sama. The three of them were the only children within the Hyuuga household. Now, there was a new addition.

"Tenten, this is my son Neji," Hizashi introduced. "Tenten will be living in our household from now on."

"But why, Father?" The Branch leader placed his hand on Neji's head, his pearl pupils soften.

"I found her laying on the streets. She doesn't have a family to return to." Neji blinked in surprise. Apart of him was filled with pride that it was his father that saved the lost girl. "I decided to take her in." The boy took a peek at Tenten, feeling sad that her smile is replaced by an upset expression. He didn't like it when girls cry. They were usually loud and he would usually get in trouble. However, he was astound that instead of bawling her eyes out Tenten remain seated with her lips in a thin line. She was quiet, the bun in her hand was ignored.

"Will she live with us, Father?" He felt delighted that he was going to have a playmate, someone who didn't possess the Hyuuga trait.

"No, she will be living in the servant quarters." Even better, she would be around always. Satisfied with that answer, Neji went over to the girl and observed her some more. Her big, round chocolate orbs never left his figure as he walked toward her.

"Can you speak?" Instead of answering with her voice, she nodded. Then, after a moment Tenten stood up. They stood in even height.

"Nice to meet you, Neji-sama." With that, tiny arms wrapped themselves around the boy's neck. The abrupt movement made Neji lose his balance and the poor Hyuuga male fell onto his back with Tenten's body on top of him.

"Please get off, Tenten," he gasped from under her. For a girl her size, she was sure heavy. He felt her weight being lifted off him when she rolled to the side, kneeling over his fallen body.

"I'm sorry, Neji-sama." The sound of her voice made him sit up almost immediately. It was so sincere, yet it held a tone of gratitude, admiration almost. It was comforting. "Let's be friends!" Her lips stretched across her face, showing her perfect teeth.

"I will be your friend under one condition," he said, getting up to his feet. "You will address me as just Neji."

"All right. If that's what you wish, Neji." The way his name rolled off her tongue made him grin. She remained kneeling.

"Hizashi-sama," Tenten bowed at the elder Hyuuga. "Thank you."

"Do not worry, Tenten." Hizashi pulled the young girl up. "I am needed elsewhere. In the mean time, the fish in the pond needs to be fed. Neji, would you like to feed them?"

"I will feed them, Father." His hands grabbed the little pouch that contained little pellets for the fish from his father. "May I bring Tenten along?"

"If that's her decision." Inside, Tenten jumped with excitment, but stood still. She didn't want to knock Neji down twice in one day.

"Let's go." Walking side by side, the two children made their way toward the pond in garden that was filled with Koi fish. Once they arrived, Tenten couldn't help but widen her eyes.

"They are really pretty," she marveled. Beside her, Neji took out the little beads of food and placed them in his hand.

"Watch this." As if on cue, the Koi fish swam toward them as Neji dropped them in the water. Amazed at this, Tenten giggled. It was very amusing indeed.

"I want to try," the girl held out her hand. After receiving a few ediable rounds, she threw them gently at a different area in the water and watched as the Koi fish swim rapidly toward the food source. "They are so fast, too!"

Neji smiled in earnest. This girl was sure interesting. It was funny how something so simple as feeding fish is entertaining to the girl. He wondered how she would react if he told her that there were birds within the household, but decided not to. He wouldn't want to be crushed by her again.

His thoughts suddenly went back to her outburst, and right there and then, he decided that he wanted to be her friend too. Why not? She was bright, nice, and cute (though he'll never tell anyone, except his father that is). She would always be here by his side, and for the second time that day, he was glad.

* * *

There were not many things a four year old servant could do, but Tenten never gave up finding odd jobs around the _Bunke_ household. Her daily routine usually consists of waking up Neji, watering all the plants in the garden, feeding the Koi fish with her friend, and finally wiping down the entire dojo spotless. Of course, during the time she is there, Hizashi and Neji is there as well, training. Once she even met the Hyuuga Heiress herself. Despite that, she didn't dare approach the timid girl who was always on the constant guard of her father, Hiashi. Other than that, Tenten would help out in the kitchen, washing rice, vegetables, and on occasion, bring tea to Hizashi after a long day.

Recently, the day of Hinata's third year into this world passed. The members of the Branch family went to celebrate the day while she stayed at the household with the other servants. She waited to greet them when they arrived home, however she fell asleep before the moon hid behind the clouds.

The next morning, Tenten woke up early as always and made her way toward Neji's room. After announcing her presence, the girl pulled the panel ajar and went in. Laying down on the futon, Neji was still sleeping. In the morning light, Tenten could see his forehead was wrapped in white cloth. Her first realization is that someone must have hurt him. Nevertheless, she approach his side and gently shook his shoulder.

"Neji, please wake up." Upon hearing his name, the Hyuuga boy opened his eyes. He immediately shut them when his brain registered the pain on his forehead. His friend had a worry expression on her usually happy face. "Are you okay, Neji?" Sitting up, he felt well enough to answer her.

"I'm fine." Before she could asked him the reason behind the injury on his forehead, Tenten felt another presence in the room and turned her head toward the door. It was Hizashi, watching them. She noticed that his eyes were pained.

"Hizashi-sama," she greeted, lowering her head in respect.

"Father," Neji exclaimed, surprised to see his father so early in the morning.

"Does it hurt, my son?" A smile graced on his face. He didn't want his father to think him as a weak little boy.

"No," he shook his head. "It doesn't hurt as much as last night." Hizashi went over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder as well as Tenten's.

"Neji, remove the bandages." The young boy did as he was told and Tenten watched while Hizashi explained it to her. "This is a mark members of the Branch family have to receive when the heir is three years old." She saw the green image that is now permanent on her friend's forehead and listened in shock. "We all bear this mark to protect the _Souke_. It is a matter of duty and security." Then, Tenten witnessed the same marking on Neji on Hizashi's own forehead when he removed the headband with the Leaf insignia. They were exactly the same. "As Neji grows up, he too will protect members of the _Souke_." Though she didn't realize the edge in his voice directed toward the main Hyuuga family, Tenten knew they didn't have a choice to say otherwise in the matter. "Do you understand, Tenten?"

"Yes," she answered, wondering why he was telling her this.

"I hope that as you grow older, you will watch over Neji for me." Tenten gave a smile and looked over at Neji, who was wrapping the white around his head to cover the mark again. "Of course I will, Hizashi-sama. Neji is my friend. I will protect him no matter what."

"That I will keep in my mind, always. Wouldn't you like that, Neji?" The boy nodded, happy that his friend cared so much about him. No one else ever did, apart from his father.

"I would like that very much, Father. I will watch over you too, Tenten," the boy declared with a small smile.

"We can protect each other," her voice rang with joy. With vows echoing within the room, Hizashi rose to his feet with satisfaction in his heart.

"Let's eat breakfast together." Pulling the door open the elder Hyuuga male watched as the two children went ahead of him. In due time, he trust that Tenten would be true to her word. His son would be in good hands and perhaps, he may eventually find happiness, but it was too early to tell.

With a exhale breath, the twin of Hizashi followed the two children down the corridors of the Hyuuga household, listening to their laughter along the way. It made him smile and his heart a little less heavy knowing that they would protect each other when his time comes. He watched the birds fly overhead, aiming toward the white clouds. They looked happy today.

* * *

The death of Hizashi brought sorrow in the _Bunke_ household like none other. When Tenten heard the news, she hurried to find Neji but the boy remained missing. He had already seen the body. Though she is beref herself, Tenten pulled herself together, not forgetting the promise she made to her savior. In search of Neji, the auburn haired girl ran down the halls looking for any signs of him. After fruitless minutes that seem to be hours, Tenten finally found Neji alone in the dojo.

Facing the corner, the young boy released his anger upon a dummy, oblivious to her arrival. Tenten felt her own tears slide down her face as she watched him pounded with the pent up frustration of losing his father, whom he loved so dearly. Instead of interrupting him, the girl sat afar listening to his anger, sadness, and confusion as it echoed in the hollow silent room.

She never left his side. And when his body finally reached its limit, Tenten was there to catch his fallen body and guide him back to his room where she tucked him in and blew out the candle.

When Neji awoke in the morning, Tenten was sleeping in a sitting position a few feet from him. Watching her resting figure, he felt comfort to the fact that she helped him back to his room. He was now alone. His father is dead and he had to take care of himself. The main family murdered his father and he was to going to make them pay.

A small jerked movement made by Tenten made his thoughts drift back to her current position. Just looking at her made him uneasy. How can anyone sleep in that position? With the anger forgotten, Neji got up and pulled Tenten into his bed. She was probably cold and his confirmation was made evident when she sneezed. Pulling the covers over her sleeping form and his own, Neji went back to bed. He had to train when there is light out. Beside him, he didn't mind that Tenten was hogging the blankets because she never left his side, and he drifted into slumber without the need to shed his lonely tears. He knew he wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

Tenten noticed a change in Neji the moment he asked her to train with him. Of course, being a friend she didn't refuse. Years have past and they were of age to enter the Leaf Academy, a goal that never left her, not even in sleep or wake. Of course, the two were placed in the same class in which Neji insisted Tenten to sit next to him, not wanting to be bothered by other fangirls that regarded him as "cute". He felt insulted and it irked his Hyuuga pride. Nevertheless, Tenten didn't refuse. She was going to sit next to him anyways. Every student around them were from the village and she had never seen so many in a room before. Sure, she had been in the market, the park, and have seen some children her age, but aside from Neji she wasn't familiar with any of them. Though that didn't stop her from making friends.

The most interesting person, or should she say least interesting is Rock Lee, a student who cannot use any ninjutsu or genjutsu even if his live depended on it. Tenten felt sorry for the boy and on occasion would talk to him. He was always the first person on the training grounds and the last person to leave. Neji, however didn't see Lee worth his time and went to the library, leaving Tenten alone while she perfected her accuracy on weapons.

"Why would you even bother helping a loser such as him, Tenten?" The Hyuuga male inquired. It was mid-afternoon and they were walking home together. A servant remained a few yards behind them, acting as a guardian.

"Lee is not a loser, Neji. He actually works really hard. He just needs to practice more on his techniques." Her good nature to connect with people didn't faze him. Tenten is the only person he knows that hold the most compassion toward strangers. "Besides, he's such a goof ball. Someone has to shake some sense into him," she giggled while her mind returned to the memory of Lee chocking down food as fast as he could, wanting to return to training in a hurry. Her friend gave her a scoff, slightly jealous that she would be wasting her time with Lee. "Don't be like that Neji. Tell you what," she skipped ahead of him; gliding backwards, she faced him. They walked in sync. "How about I make dumplings for dinner tonight?" Neji grunted in approval and closed his eyes.

"You better not burn them like last time," he warned while she stuck out her tongue. The boy sent her a smirk. Tenten always made the best dumplings (they were her favorite food) and she would offer to make them occasionally. Once, he ate nothing but her dumplings for a whole week until she got frustrated and vowed never to make them unless there is something to celebrate or when she feels up to it. When he asked her why she would do such a thing, she explained that all of the filling and folding annoyed her especially since she had to do everything herself, three times a day for every single day of the week.

Now, she was offering some to him out of apology, knowing that he already forgive her. Yet, Neji didn't mind eating something is cooked by Tenten, or anything for the matter. Whatever she puts in front of him, Neji would eat it all up without complaint unless it was necessary.

Walking through the village, Neji couldn't wait to get back to the Hyuuga compound. After spending countless hours at the library researching, he was ready to go home and meditate. And besides, he was looking forward to dinner. Maybe he could talk Tenten into making some sesame dango. He knew those were her favorite, too.

* * *

Graduating from the academy, Tenten was relieved. After receiving her own Leaf headband, the teacher placed them all on three-man teams. Neji didn't bother with wishful thinking. Instead, he was silent as their instructor read off the names of each team.

"Isn't this exciting, Neji?" The brunette waited patiently beside her friend, listening for her name. It wasn't hard to miss, just two syllables. Upon registration for the academy, she was tempted to put down a surname in the blank box, but decided not to. She had no idea what it is and to put something down otherwise would be lying. Leaving it blank is the best thing to do.

After spending as much time in the library as Neji, Tenten grew fond of reading about shinobi life. The person who caught her interest was Tsunade-hime, the only female of the Legendary Sannin. Although Tsunade is granddaughter of the first Hokage of the village, she is addressed as just Tsunade in many texts which credit her for reinventing three-man teams into four, with the addition member who is a medic nin. It was then, Tenten idolized Tsunade, a strong female shinobi who is able to save and protect her comrades, even on the verge of death. Tsunade is someone who Tenten would one day want to become. She had real goals, dreams, and she doesn't even need a surname.

After hearing countless names being rattled off (she wasn't paying attention), the room was final empty as the other graduates left the room to lunch and to find their rendevous of their assigned Jounin teacher. It wasn't until the last moments, their names were finally called.

". . .team will be Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten." The pair looked over to the boy with the bowl haircut. Lee was jumping up and down in excitement before coming over to them.

"The loser will only slow us down," Neji glanced at his new teammate, unamused by his antics.

"Neji," Tenten chided softly. "He's just happy. Besides, he graduated that means he has potential."

"Whatever,' he told her, returning to his silence. But inside, Neji was glad that Tenten is on his team. Each team consist of at least one female person. It would be an annoyance if one of the his fangirls were to be his team. He had enough people bothering him. By far, he would still choose Tenten. She didn't drool over him like some lovesick puppy (she doesn't even drool in her sleep). Tenten was different. Perhaps, it was Fate that made it possible for her to be on his team. After all, they've been through a lot together. Now, he had to deal with Lee, who in comparison with the fangirls make no difference. He was chivalrous and annoying, nevertheless at least Tenten would be able to keep him in check.

* * *

"Dinner!" Tenten placed down the tray containing two bowls of rice, stir-fried beef and vegetables along with some miso soup, fried fish and her trademark dumplings. Coming out of his mediative state, his bare feet made their way across the dojo floors toward his friend. "Time to eat, Neji-_sama_," she mocked him. Countless times, she would do this out of amusement. It was their inside joke, almost. Except, Neji didn't find anything funny about having a higher status to his supposed-servant friend. He like things to remain just as their first meeting. Simple, yet pleasant. Besides, it's not like she would listen to him anyways. Tenten had always done things without his permission such as decorate his room with flowers from the garden, organize his closet (he couldn't find his favorite jacket for weeks), rearrange the books on his shelf, and even place wall scrolls on his blank room. They still remain in his room to this very day.

"Tenten," his tone was slightly curt, as if he was scolding at her. The brunette rolled her eyes and proceeded to pass her friend his bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.

"Eat up, okay." As always, the two ate dinner while Tenten chattered about her training. "My accuracy is better than any one on our team, even better than yours," she said in triumph, finally beating Neji at something. Being a prodigy, he always beat her at most things and Tenten didn't like losing.

"You never miss a target," he commented her, although he expressed it in a 'I already knew that' kind of tone. She ignored it and gave him a smile, but it slowly formed a thin line.

"Ne, Neji." Her voice whispered. Had he not stop eating, he would have completely miss it. "I was wondering, how long can I stay here? I mean, I am not a Hyuuga and the other servants-"

"Are the other servants harassing you?" He cut her off before she could go on.

"No!" She assures him. "It's just other people think . . ." her voice trailed off. "The servants think that I get special treatment because I'm never scolded, or even punished for not listening to you. You never yell at me and I can wander around the compound as I please. The things they would say-" Her eyes shut in rememberance. "They hurt."

"I will have a word with them-"

"No! You can't! They'll know that I've listened to their conversation about me! I didn't mean to, but every time-"

"Tenten, stop." That shut her up, and turned silent. "You can stay here as long as you like. If it's your decision to leave, then I will not hold you to it." Ever since Hizashi was alive, the former Branch leader created an account for Tenten, saving her earnings as a servant in the household and gathering interest. By now, the amount was enough for Tenten to buy herself an apartment. Tenten knew of this, but she refuses to touch the money in that account unless she needed to buy necessary things such as clothing, weapons, scrolls, and food.

"I don't want to leave here, Neji. This is my home." Neji gave her a nod, and understood her meaning. Ever since she had arrived in Konoha, she considered this village and this compound as her home. Living here, Tenten felt this was the only place she can call home. "I guess I should try being a better servant, ne?"

"Do as you please, Tenten." The Hyuuga male frowned. He never thought of her as a servant, but as a friend. He hated how others make her feel inferior. After dinner, he was going to have a stern talk with the other servants, of course he would keep that to himself. Tenten would be angry at him if he meddled into her affairs. Drawing the conversation into a close, Neji captured the dumpling in his chopticks and placed it in her bowl. "Eat up, we have a mission tomorrow."

"I almost forgot," the kunoichi plucked the dumpling in her bowl and took a small bite. "Hey Neji."

"Yes?" He looked over at her sparkling amber eyes.

"Happy Birthday." A smirk rose to his lips as he shook his head in utter disbelief. "Now we're both thirteen!" Her laughter rang in the big room. The Hyuuga male didn't comment. He knew that Tenten was older than him, though in the past he made a big deal out of it. Boys should always be older than girls. This was the logic his five year old self believed when they were playing "house," especially when they are "married".

Sitting here, Neji didn't protest about age. Having Tenten to cook for him every night, he already felt that they were husband and wife. However, he knew that it was unrealistic. His Fate prevented him from marrying anyone else that was approved by the Hyuuga family. But for now, he ignored that facts, even if it's only pretend.

"Thank you, Tenten." She'd always remember how to make him happy, and that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

* * *

Training with Neji was different from anything else. Tenten realized this when he developed a fighting technique from scratch. The secret technique called "Hakkeshou Kaiten" was the ultimate defense. Not even her weapons, no matter how many she threw at him leave a mark on his skin. Sure, Gai-sensei offered his secrets of power to them, but Lee ws the only one who took that offer. For Neji and Tenten, they relied on their own skills and develop them on their own.

A typical training session would consist of a warm up, spar, and finally meditation. Neji really loves his mediation. Tenten, on the other hand loves her weapons more than anything else. This fact remains true when she knocked Neji over in excitment when he gave her a new set of weapons in apology for ruining her old ones. Swords, ranging from dao to tonfa-style swords, axes, scyths, maces, katanas, kunai, shurikens, senbons, it was all there just for her. Tenten loves them so much, she would always carry them, all of them inside the scrolls within her pack. They were never released unless it was for training for she hated to recollect all of them after they are scattered by Neji's chakra.

Today, training was different. After the warm up, Neji would test Tenten on her Taijutsu, a skill she lacked most confidence in. This time, however Neji told her to watch him as he walked over to the open area.

"Tenten, I am going to teach you something very important today." The girl tilted her head to the side, not understanding what he meant.

"I'm going to show you my blind spot." Her eyes widen in surprise. WIthout hesitation, Tenten knew why he was doing this. With an ultimate defense, there was always a glitch. Neji trusted her enough so that she would be able to hide it when that time called for it. They were a team and they would help each other out. The kunoichi did waiver when faced with difficult times and taking up this big responsibility made her feel empowered.

"Let's begin," he said, pulling her back to reality.

"Okay." Neji hid his emotions well. Ever since the death of his father, Neji held up his guard, not letting anyone in. Though she had known him the longest, there was more to his character then he lets on. Tenten kept this in mind as she finally penetrate the wall of chakra, the senbon whistling thickly into his backside. She had found it. For an instant, he stopped and she ran over to him, pulling the senbon out as rapidly as she could. "I'm sorry. Did that hurt?" Observing the bleeding spot, Tenten was relieved to find that Neji moved enough to avoid any vital organs.

"No," his voice strained just a bit. He was going to need a lot of meditation after this. "Good job, Tenten." With that, the girl's beamed in pride after helping her friend rest under the forest of trees.

"No problem," her humor lingered. "Of course, now I know how to beat you!" Tenten giggled, realizing that they both shared secret. "Don't worry, Neji. Your secret is safe with me," she gave him a wink. For moment Neji looked everywhere but her face. He felt heat raise up to his cheeks and turned away, ignoring her sudden affection. Was she trying to flirt with him? "Aww, lighten up, Neji." She punched him on his shoulder. No, she probably had something in her eye. "Let's continue to train, ne?" He was happy to oblige, anything to keep _those_ thoughts of entering his mind.

As the two trained until sun down, Neji had a secret of his own and buried it deep inside his heart. Although love outside the Hyuuga family was unrealistic, it never left his side and she was proof of that. This was his little secret he kept from her. His only secret.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear?" They were all on the training ground. Dummies constructed in straw covered with targets. All were maimed with kunai in deadly accurracy. "For the first time in five years, there are going to be rookies this Chuunin Exam." Lee leaned down to stretch his arm muscles. A few feet away, Tenten playfully twirl a sharp kunai.

"No way! It's probably some stubborn Jounins in competition or something," she said. Last year, Gai sensei prevent them from entering the Chuunin exams, knowing fully well how dangerous they were.

"No, the story is that three of them are the students of Kakashi," Lee assured her.

"That sounds interesting." The Hyuuga prodigy opened his eyes, but didn't move from his position.

"But in the end," the kunai in her hand landed a few meters above Neji's head. "You have to feel sorry for them." Her teammates silently agreed before returning to train. The Chuunin Exam was tomorrow and they wanted to be more than ready.

* * *

**A/N:** How do you like my title? I'll give you a cookie if you want to decipher it. This is my version of Neji and Tenten, behind the scenes of the Naruto universe. Seeing how she is always beside Neji (even at the Godaime's Welcome Ceremony), I couldn't help myself. This chapter is long and somewhat boring, but serves only as a prologue. The next one will be better! So, the question is, do you want me to post up the next chapter? Tell me in your review!

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Thank you for reading!


	2. Part Two

**A/N:** I want to thank my readers for their encouragement.

* * *

**Shenhui**

**Neji x Jeni**

**Byakuxhisa4eva**

**Nakoudo Byakugan **

**AmbrosiusSchuyler**

**3lilpandas**

**tennie-chan01**

**Strawberry001**

* * *

**Note:**

Thank you for pointing out my mistake on the title. Now, I would like to explain the meaning of it. As many of you know, "Quixotic" derives from a character named _Don Ouixote_, a hero of Cervantes' novel of the same name. The definition means "extravagantly chivalrous or romantic but impractical" and "relapse" means "falling back to its former state". The first word relates to Neji and Tenten's relationship, how it is romantic but impractical because she is a servant and he is technically her master, although he knows this, Neji cannot help but ignore the fact and continue to be with Tenten despite disapproval from people around him. I hope this makes sense.

Now, onto the reading!

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**Started:** Tuesday, August 12, 2008

**Draft Finished:** Thursday, August 14, 2008

**Fiction:** Continuation

**Rated:** PG-13

**Disclaimer:** The character and names of Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi-sensei. This story belongs to me.

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** NejiTen

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Summary:** When Tenten was found by Hyuuga Hizashi at an early age, she had no recollection of who she is except her name. Feeling in debt, Tenten devoted her life to serve the Hyuuga family. In due time, she becomes the servant of none other than Hyuuga Neji after vowing to watch over him, a promise she made to her savior. However, Tenten gets more than she bargains for when she struggles to understand him. Despite that, she strives to be at his side, whether he likes it or now. A story of devotion and duty. This is the story about Tenten's life, the reason she why has no family name because she is a servant of the Hyuuga household.

* * *

**Quixotic Replase**

_Part Two_

* * *

**Tenten**

Growing up in the Hyuuga household had its ups and downs. The servants got off my back, but their daggered stares linger every time I pass them. They still did not approve the relationship I had formed with Neji. Things between Neji and me remained the same. We trained together as a team, ate together, and completed our mission accordingly. Though we act as friends, close comrades, our status within the household stands somewhat constant even though I receive special treatment, such as tailored clothes and gifts from Neji. I still do everything myself: cleaning, cooking, laundry. It was my job, apart from being a shinobi. Despite that, I ignored the whispers and gossip revolving around us having an intimate relationship after Neji assigned my room next to his, pulling me away from the servant quarters and closer to him. It was childish and ridiculous, above all impossible. Why would he even consider having romantic feelings toward me? I am just a servant after all.

* * *

Lee always had a thing of doing things on his own. Half the time, Tenten didn't even know what goes on in that crazy mind of his. However, she was absolutely certain of his chivalry toward girls, asking them out on dates after proclaiming to protect them with his life; he was the most melodramatic person on their team, that's for sure. Of course, she had face this beforehead, though his interest didn't lay in wanting a date with her, merely to protect her as his adopted sister and teammate.

This thought didn't escape her head when she found Lee gone MIA after meeting the infamous Team Kakashi. Lee obviously wanted to challenge the Uchiha. He always had the nack to challenge prodigies to prove that hardwork can triumph geniuses. The first piece of evidence was his proclamation that Neji was his eternal rival. Yet, a part of her worried that he could serious hurt himself. Tenten frown at this while she and Neji waited for their teammate to get back.

"You think Lee can beat the Uchiha?" She asked out of boredom, but mainly to keep her mind off the throbbing pain on her cheek. Instead of answering her, Neji watched her rub her slightly red cheek. He knew that she could have blocked it without hesitation, however under the circumstances to not draw attention to themselves, she took the hit.

"Come here," he ordered, beckoning her with a flick on his hand. Pulling some ointment from his pack, he opened it and applied a thin amount on her cheek. Taken back at his act of compassion, the brunette leaned toward Neji and let his fingers glide down her face while she stood motionless to his gentle touch. "You shouldn't be so careless, Tenten."

"Well, I didn't want to cut off the man's hand, now," she chuckled. "You know how hard it takes to get the blood stains out." The Hyuuga scoffed at her remark before examining the tenderness of the injury.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time we spar," he said, knowing that she was joking. It was in these moments that she never doubt Neji's silent chivalry, especially when they were directed only at her. Although many regard the prodigy as the cold-hearted type, Tenten could easily overrule them. Neji's just shy, which misleads many people. This fact was evident from the time of their youth at ten years of age when he refused to her hold her hand while they wandered in the dark compound to find the fireflies nearby. Eventually, she mustered the courage to grab his hand and he did not let go, nor showed any sign of it.

Then, as quickly as the moment past, he moved away from her after seeing Lee approaching them with Gai-sensei in tow.

"Are you two ready to show them the power of youth?" Gai exclaimed, his voice attracting the full attention of the other shinobi around them. So much for keeping a low profile. After a long sigh, Tenten and Neji followed their teacher and comrade toward the first exam room. They were ready to face anything if they do it together, and this time they didn't have to do it in the dark.

* * *

Time seemed to pass quickly when you know that death surrounded you. Overhead, the sun was hidden among the tall trees of the forest, shadowing the hollow grounds. A single kunai glistened among the ancient earth resting deeply within it. Neji came back a few minutes before the allotted time. Of course, he had to make sure all of them didn't get lost or worst, ambushed.

As far as being team leader goes, Neji took the position to lay down realistic values. Lee, on the other hand, made logical suggestions from time to time, and Tenten kept the whole team in balance through her perception, mannerism, and constant motherly scolding.

He remembered one time when they were all on a picnic. It was Gai's idea to express the "spring time of youth". To this day, he still had no idea what that even meant. Tenten had made many different types of food, plenty to feed a small army. Lee thought it was appropriate to have an eating contest between the two of them. Being Neji, he simply refused and called his teammate an idiot. A reason why he did this was because one, he didn't want Tenten's effort to go to waste; food should be eaten and enjoyed, and above all else, it was ridiculous. What does scarfing down food down your throat have to do with anything skills related? If anything, it served as a proven theory for Neji that Lee was bat-crap crazy.

Though Tenten was amused by the idea, she shook some sense into Lee and offered her teacher some dango. It was a peaceful affair. The entire team had some time to relax on their day off and spend time getting to know each other, however it seem that only Gai and Lee wanted to do the challenge while Neji and Tenten kept themselves cool under the shades of trees.

"How can they have that kind of energy?" Tenten mused, watching Lee recite to his mentor the rules of the contest of eating the mountainous amounts of dumplings, noodles, and fruit. "You guys are going to have a stomach ache if you do that after eating!" She shouted at the duo. "When will they ever learn?" The brunette shook her head when they waved her off, ensuring that youth can withstand anything.

"It's useless to talk some sense into them. That'll just suffer the consequences afterward," her teammate said to her.

"Oh well," she smiled and passed Neji a stick of sesame dango, which he gratefully accepted. "I'm not going to let them live it down when they come back clutching their stomachs in pain. Don't tell them I didn't told them so," the kunoichi took a bite of the sticky substance.

"Don't worry, I will remind them," the Hyuuga agreed.

After a few moments to himself, Neji heard leaves rustling as a couple fell from above. Coming into the open, his teammate jumped softly beside him. She brushed dirt off her pants, mumbling about something along the lines of stupid woodland creatures under breath.

"Did you find anything?" Shaking her head, the girl in the unique hairstyle sighed.

"Where's Lee?" She observed, putting her hands on her hips. Neji smirked at her worried expression despite the annoyance in her voice.

"Let's go find Lee," he told her. Jumping to higher ground, the pair scouted below them, detecting for any sign of chakra signatures around them. It did not take them long to find the rookies fighting amateur bullies from the Sound village. They speculated the scene, seeing Lee knocked down flat on his face. Beside him, Naruto was out cold along with the Uchiha. It was one thing to mess with the Konoha rookies, but it was different when they messed with one of his teammates. Being the leader means stepping up to protect your comrades whether they were an idiot for trying to do things on their own or just because it could have easily been his female teammate in the same situation. Nevertheless, he didn't leave his place and remain next to Tenten. They were going to pay for what they did, mark his words.

* * *

Tenten's a morning person out of habit, not because she loved waking up before Neji. Ever since they were children, she had always gone to his room to wake him up. This routine came to a halt after long hours of training, which took a toll on her body. Though many believe that the older you get, the less you need to sleep, this opinion doesn't apply to Tenten. Five extra minutes in bed seemed like paradise to her body after the draining of her chakra and the sealing of her tenketsu as a result from intensive training session with Neji.

Before the sun could reach over the horizon, Neji had woken up, searching through his closet strategically to find what he was looking for. After fruitless minutes of seeking what he needed, he knew what he was looking for wasn't in his room. Instead of wasting his time, the prodigy did the next logical thing.

Taking a deep breath, Neji walked out of his room. Within seconds, he stood in front of Tenten's room which he conveniently moved next to his for the sake of saving time to do more training. Though it wasn't a task to reach the servant quarters, he knew this was the best way for Tenten to avoid the accusations and harassment from those cockroaches. To have her continue to live there would do more good than harm. He had promised to protect her after all.

With a swift movement, he opened the panel to her room. It was the same size of his own, but it wasn't as immaculate. Scattered all around, weapons of many different shapes and sizes laid on the wooden floor. He noticed the training gear from last night was tossed aside carelessly, revealing the bandages from his arms that were suppose to be in the trash, empty bento boxes, canteens, and scrolls. Her sandals were taken off at the door, from then on her pants were a few feet away until he saw remains of her pink top. Resting amidst of this mess was Tenten, sleeping soundly on her futon. He knew better than to walk in his friend's room unannounced, but part of him felt it was necessary. The draft in the room reminded him of his mission.

"Tenten," he called her, pulling the blankets down to uncover her head. Laying on her stomach, her chocolate tresses hid her face, cascading down her almost bare back. Neji immediately stop pulling down the sheets. What was she thinking sleeping naked? It took him a minute to remember what he was bothering her for. She mumbled incoherently after he shook her smooth shoulder.

"Five more minutes, please," she told him, slapping his hand away.

"Tenten, I need to know where you put my jacket," the Hyuuga male turned his head to the side, ignoring the sudden exposure of his friend's skin when she reached up.

"It's not even light out, Neji," the brunette murmured, "I'll get it for you later."

"I need it now." The weapon mistress groaned more, flipping over with her arm shielding her eyes. With an exasperated sigh, she sat up facing her friend. Her brown orbs blinked to adjust to the little light emitting from the moon before rubbing the crust that had formed around the edges of her eyes during the short slumber. Then, she looked over at Neji, who waited patiently as she tried to wake up. Under the silver light she noticed the toned muscles on his body as light danced upon it. Well-sculpted from the result of excessive training, his body must be the envy of a photographer's model. What made his body more appealing was the white bandages that detailed his right arm and chest down to the very last muscle. Tenten didn't bother with shameless gawking. "Put a shirt on!" She exclaimed, wondering how he could stand the cold.

"I could say the same to you," the Hyuuga countered, pointing the bindings on her chest. Though many layers were bound around her body, it was hard not to notice her bosoms creating a pleasant view for any male, let alone every other shinobi in the entire village. Looking down, Tenten rolled her eyes before plopping down on her futon.

"Yeah, like you've never seen woman parts before," reminding him of the sexual education course that was required in their academy years.

"This is different, Tenten," he sounded slightly annoyed. "Wear something before you catch a cold," the excuse left his mouth easily. He did care for her well-being after all. Who else was he going to spar with if she were to be sick in bed? "Where did you put my jacket?"

"It's in my pack," the kunoichi told him in pandiculation. "You let me borrow it yesterday, remember?" That explained why he couldn't find it in his closet. Then, she stood up (wearing spandex shorts, to his relief) and stretched her legs while Neji went through her backpack to find his jacket. "Do you really need me to wake up this early? Can you just meditate longer?" Her hands rested on her hips, adding to the illusion of authority. Neji didn't answer her and exited the room. When he returned, he threw folded articles of clothing at her, which she caught without thinking. It was a forest green silk top with a mandarin collar, similar to her old pink one but with two golden straps along her left side. Underneath, a pair of red wine colored pants completed the outfit.

"I had them tailored last night," his white orbs held their gaze, then he looked down at her former top that was torn almost to shreds. Being a gentleman, he had offered her his jacket to cover her modesty. Obviously she did care if he looked at her almost half-naked, but other thoughts plagued his mind last night from their walk through the village. "I'll go make breakfast." Again, he departed wordlessly, leaving her alone to gather her thoughts. Just after he left, Tenten laughed a bit before closely examining her new clothes. It was her style. Of course, they had to be custom-made because no one else in the village would wear anything similar to this.

Thinking back, Tenten and Neji never really discussed about fashion. If it looked good and practical, they would wear it, however Tenten was particular picky about her clothes when she ventured into reading history, amazed at the ancient look that was modest, yet not like any she had ever seen before. They were different and they suited her.

+0+0+0+

After brushing her teeth, washing her face, putting up her hair into two neat buns, and rebounding her chest, Tenten went to the kitchen to find Neji frying eggs. Taking a seat at the table, the auburn waited patiently while she poured herself and Neji a cup of tea. She yawned again and watched out the window as the sun peeked from the horizon.

"Here's breakfast," he placed a plate right in front of her. It took Tenten a few seconds to register just what was on her eating foundation. Holding her breath she tried not to laugh, but it came out as a snort.

"Neji, what is this suppose to be?" Her chopsticks held up a brown 'thing'.

"It's Chinese sausage," he answered her. Sure it was, burnt to a crisp.

"And these?" She poked the round mess that crumbled once she touched it.

"Scramble eggs," the prodigy sharply told her as she snickered. Standing up, Tenten went over to her friend and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How about we leave the cooking to me, okay?" Cooking was definitely not Neji's forte, though he can make staple things such as sushi, sashimi, onigiri, miso soup, and occasionally boiled eggs, however anything that would require high temperatures of heat, he'd burn them before you can say _itadakimasu_.

Putting on an apron over her clothes, Tenten turned on the stove and took out the ingredients to recreate Neji's sad attempt to make breakfast.

"I love my new clothes, by the way," she turned to give him a smile. The Hyuuga sat down on the table, sipping his cup of tea. "How do you know what my size is? The last time I went to the tailor was about six months ago."

"There are just some slight alterations to your measurements, Tenten." His eyes moved away from her figure, looking anywhere but at his friend.

"Not to mention the colors," the kunoichi noted, though she did not mind.

"They are suitable. Pink is too distracting," the tone of his voice made her laugh.

"I suppose you're right," Tenten commented, placing down two plates of steamed rice, scramble eggs, and golden brown Chinese sausages on the table. None of the food items were burnt. Taking a seat across her partner, she removed her apron and set it aside. "Time to eat!" With that, the two lifted up their chopsticks and ate the food Tenten prepared. Whether it was out of tiredness or simply because she was use to it, the smirk on Neji's face was left unnoticed as he watched her wear the very clothes he designed. They definitely look very fitting on her. There was no doubt in his mind as they ate in silence. She always had great taste in clothing and for the sake of protection, he will not give her anything less.

* * *

Living in the _Bunke_ household, Tenten didn't have any problem maneuvering around the compound. She knew the entire place like the back of her hand. However, on occasion, the _Souke_ would invite them to dinner. In the past, Neji had always refused, but now that the issue relating to his father's death was patched up to a certain degree, he agreed to it. His only condition, to his uncle's bewilderment, was permission to bring Tenten along. At first, Hiashi was puzzled by his nephew's request, nevertheless when Neji explained that the guest was his teammate, the leader gave his consent.

The dinner was in celebration of Konoha's recovery after Orochimaru's attack and a few weeks after the Sandaime's funeral. The village was under construction and with everyone in the village participating in the project, Konoha returned to it's fully glory after hearing that Jiraya of the Legendary Sannin was on the journey to find Tsunade-hime to appoint her as Konoha's Godaime. Tenten was thrilled at the news as to the entire the village, minus the council members who berate the granddaughter of the first Hokage as irresponsible due to her reputation of being the "Lengendary Sucker".

When Tenten returned to her room after a short training session with Neji, she knew something was up. Number one, Neji never ends a training session an hour early no matter how tired they both were, although she did appreciate the break. After his defeat with Naruto, he had been even more determined to get stronger. That meant longer and much more intense training sessions that would render her charka almost to depletion. Despite having her muscle ache, Tenten was glad that her own training had improved her skills and power. After facing Temari of the Wind country, she vowed to get stronger as well. There was no way she'd give up being one of the best kunoichi the world's ever seen, even if it'd mean getting your ass beat by a prodigy eighty-five percent of the time.

Her first instinct after setting her training gear aside was to take a bath to wash all dirt and sweat off her body, not to mention the leaves in her hair. Grabbing a towel, toiletries, and a set of clothes, she opened the door to find Neji blocking her way. He looked down at her arms clutching materials needed to make herself feel fresh and cleanse, however he held up the silk robes to her. Tenten couldn't help but blink in surprise.

"New robes?" Tenten inquired, examining the golden threads that make up the pattern of chrysanthemum flowers through the indigo colored fabric. "Aren't those a little long for training, Neji?" She rose a brow, uncertain why he would present her with such expensive clothes.

"We have a formal dinner to attend tonight at the main family household," he told her without skipping a beat.

"Formal dinner?" Her voiced hitched up a notch. "But why do I have to go?"

"Please accompany me, Tenten." This brought a smile to her face.

"Oh, don't tell me the great Hyuuga Neji is afraid of going to a formal dinner all by his lonesome," she teased. The prodigy turned his head to the side rather than roll his non-existent pupil eyes. Tenten saw his silent defeat and took pity on her friend. It was his first formal dinner in a long time and she wasn't going to leave him hanging. "Fine, I'll go with you on account that you do not under any circumstances leave me to talk to any of members of the Hyuuga family." Then realization hit her. "Don't tell me, I will be the only that isn't a Hyuuga there," it came out as a statement, not a question. Then, she sighed and continued her rant. "Furthermore," she held up another finger. "If they insult me in any way, I will personally-"

"I won't let that happen," he assured her. "I promise." The auburn haired girl exhaled deeply and saved her breath. She had no doubt that he would keep true to his word.

"All right then. Let me just take a bath." Her friend made no move to step aside, but gestured at the robes. Her amber orbs eyed them slight in disapproval. "You owe me for this," Tenten told him, knowing fully well she hated wearing long traditional kimonos.

"Anything you want as long as we're not late," he pushed the garments into her arms. "We're leaving in a thirty minutes." And before Tenten could exclaim "WHAT?" out of angry and disbelief, Neji went to his own room to prepare for the evening.

"Oh, he is SO going to pay for this," Tenten declared while she went to get ready.

+0+0+0+

Being a shinobi had it's advantages. They were the masters of stealth, speed, and precision. Tenten kept these factors in mind when she crept toward Neji's room dressed in the long elegant robes that reached far behind her, her sleeves draping at the same length. Tying her hair in her traditional buns, she didn't bother with changing her hair style, nor wear any make up except for a small amount of natural colored lipstick. Other than that, the one thing on her mind at that moment was to get back at Neji, and the process cannot be completely without hiding a permanent black marker in one of her sleeves.

She had the calculations done in her head. The second he open the door, she was going to whip out the marker and place a dot on his nose. It was either this or castrate him. Tenten took the less drastic approach. However, there was one factor she didn't take in account when the panel slid open. There, Neji stood in similar robes as her own without the patterns, but at the same time complimented the designs with the same style in the form of a yukata. The Hyuuga stared down at his teammate who had a marker in her hand, hanging in mid-air as if she was to going to write on his face.

"Tenten, what are you doing with that marker?" Without a word, the kunoichi aimed the writing material toward his face and laughed as it left a dark dot on his perfect nose. Immediately, Neji rubbed his nose and looked at the dark stain on his finger. "This is childish, Tenten. What do you hope to accomplish-"

"Childish?" She capped the marker and placed her hands on her hips. "What's childish is that you inform me that we are going to dinner at the Main household on the night of the dinner and have the nerve to give me this," she pointed at her robes, "to wear and tell me that I only have half an hour to take a bath and dress up after six straight hours of training!" The prodigy stood unmoving.

"Is that all?" The last of the marker came off his nose after wiping it off with some alcohol he had in his room. Finally, Tenten had the last straw and went ahead to knock some sense into him when her feet slipped on the long silk robes, sending her forward rapidly. Without a moment's time, Neji reached out and grabbed her by the waist before she fell to the ground. Both of them landed solidly with the Hyuuga on the floorboard and Tenten on top of him. By the time she could register that she had her hands firmly on his chest, Tenten was lifted up onto her feet with grace. He held onto her for a second as she steadied her balance. Then, he let go.

"Thank you," the brunette smoothed the outfit before meeting the gaze of her partner. "But you are still in trouble, mister!" Following Neji out of his room, the weapon specialist continued her lecture without mercy. ". . .training ends two hours early every day for the rest of the week. In addition, I want thirty more minutes of sleep every morning, not to mention longer break times," her small feet kept up with his pace, "and you have to talk more. Oh, and you have to call me-"

"Tenten," he said her name with a slight edge. "You talk too much."

"Hey, I wasn't finish!" However, she brushed off his scolding as if it was nothing, adding that she was just joking about her conditions before stepping in sync with his steps. "You don't have to call me 'Your Royal Highness', but I'm serious about sleeping in for thirty minutes-"

"As you wish," the Hyuuga agreed and pulled her toward the door. Just like that, all was forgotten until Neji found that his hair was held together by a pink band after coming home. Never again will Neji doubt his friend's cunning mind. Tripping on one's robes was the oldest trick in the book and he had fell it. She'll never let this one down, he concluded after pulling his blankets over him. The pink band, however stayed in his hair throughout the night and into the morning. At least he looked good in it. Tenten certainly thought so.

* * *

Critical condition.

Those two words echoed in her head as Tenten walked down the white halls of Konoha Hospital. The smell of the sterile building made her uneasy even though she had been here many times before, once being a patient herself, and another visiting Lee after his defeat with Gaara. This time, however, it was different.

Carrying a stack of circular cylinders by the handle, her quiet steps barely made noise as she opened the door. Tenten placed the containers on the white table and took a seat, examining the person in the room at the same time.

The first thing she noticed was the shortness of his hair. Once longer than her own, it was reduced to the length that barely met his chin, but it was a small price to pay, using it as a medium to repair the open wounds that were on his body. Minor scratches and stitched up injuries didn't faze her as she brushed her hand against his forehead, which was covered by thin bandages. His headband was beside him on the drawer.

"Neji," her voice lingered in the room. His labor breathing suddenly became even, and he slowly opened his eyes. The sound of her name escaped his lips in a whisper. "Wake up sleepyhead," Tenten said hoarsely, unaware that silent tears were falling from her eyes until Neji reached up to brush them away. Her hands traveled to his dark hair, raking the locks through her long fingers. "I bet you'll miss me putting up your hair." He was silent, his eyes in full fascination and content as he felt her hand carass his cheek, fingering the little cuts and bruises. The tears continue to cascade from her round orbs. "Look at me, crying at a time like this." Quickly wiping her face dry, the auburn haired girl went to the table and opened the container. The Hyuuga male watched ever so carefully, taking in the moment. "You must be hungry, Neji." Putting the top aside, she grabbed the plate from inside along with a pair of chopsticks. "I made you dumplings!" Keeping up with the happy beat, Tenten returned to his side.

"How long have I been here?" He asked. Neji sat up slowly, adjusting to shift of his body after having to rest for so long.

"A couple of days," Tenten answered him while offering him the plate. Bandaged hands reached for the pair of silver chopsticks in her hands but failed to grasp around them to a certain extent. The eating utensils fell onto the bed and the pair solemnly stared at them until Tenten picked them up. "I guess I have to feed you, ne?" Before Neji could protest, she held a piece to his mouth. "Say 'ahh'," the melody in her tone danced in the empty room. She giggled a little after witnessing a priceless expression on his face. Nevertheless, Neji chewed his food, savoring the flavors.

"These taste different." The comment only widened the smile that was on her face.

"New recipe. I had to do something while you were gone." She pouted. Neji chuckled softly, opening his mouth to respond when she shoved the dumpling in his mouth before he could answer her. "Besides, what was I suppose to do with you and Lee on an 'A' ranked mission? Train with Gai-sensei? No way!" The humor in her voice entertained him while he ate. "Do you like it?" Neji nodded. "Good because I have more behind me," she pointed to the stacks of cylinder containers. "But if you do get sick of them, I could always give to them to-"

"No," he cut in sharply. "I will eat them." The brunette rose her brows at the sudden outburst.

"Are you sure? I mean, there are more at home. I made enough to feed half the village." She rubbed the back of her head in earnest. "Heh, practice you know?" Her chestnut orbs meet the pearly white eyes of Neji.

"I will eat them all," the Hyuuga said without hesitation as if eating all of her dumplings served as a challenge for him.

"Okay," she laughed. Then, she popped one of them in her own mouth. "Needs a bit of soy sauce, don't you think?"

"No, they are perfect." Tenten beamed with pride, knowing that her friend would eat anything she comes up with. Once, he bravely tried her 'stinky tofu'. After that incident, he always questioned the food she would be feeding him, which was usually Chinese food. However, that didn't compare to the time when she asked him to taste the broth of their 'hot pot' dinner. He stayed away from spicy food after that, unable to tell the difference between sweet and salty when she stuck sugar and salt on his tongue. Yet, he would not pass up the opportunity to taste her food, nor did he want anyone else to eat it. "Tenten?" He swallowed the last piece on the plate. Turning to grab another serving, the kunoichi didn't register that her friend wanted her attention until he reached over to grab her elbow toward them. The momentum of the force made her stumble onto his bed beside him, and before she could ask him what's going on, her being was engulfed by his strong arms.

"Neji," she breathed out, not knowing what to say. However, she didn't pull away. Leaning in the crook of his neck, Tenten listened to his heart beat as he let out a satisfied sigh. She couldn't help but smile and remained still as he held onto her.

"I'm home," he whispered into her ear, tightening his grip. "Thank you, Tenten."

Though she couldn't see his face, she knew without doubt that he was smiling, a rare smile that happens once every while, a smile that he reserved for her. Yet, in this moment of bliss, Tenten knew the tears that were running down his face were those of joy. They did not say a word, neither of them thought it was necessary for the unspoken affection they have for one another was more than enough.

* * *

**A/N:** From this point on, the plot will be heading toward the drama part of the story. A lot can happen in three years. Tenten raises in rank and Neji reaches to Jounin rank. Expect lots of twists and turns. Other than that, I'm sad to see that this story hasn't picked up momentum. Does it suck or something? Seriously. Anyways, please review. Your thoughts make me happy!

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Thank you for reading!


	3. Part Three

**A/N:** Wow, I update fast, huh? Is it me, or does no one really want to read this canon anymore? I'm serious. Is everyone sick and tired of Naruto? I have so few hits, it's like all of the readers disappeared! Where have you all gone?

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to:

**Shenhui**

**DemonicAngel08**

** 'tMiSS**

**AmbrosiusSchuyler**

**weiquan1**

**JennyHyuga101**

**3lilpandas**

**Byakuxhisa4eva**

**kimiko77**

**xHinax**

* * *

**Note: **

Tenten and Neji are both thirteen in the beginning and this chapter halts when they just shy of fourteen. This is after Naruto leaves for his training with Jiraiya and before the three year time skip. Oh, another thing: they do not date during this time-in-between, ever. Keep that in mind!

* * *

**Started:** Thursday, August 14, 2008

**Draft Finished:** Saturday, August 16, 2008

**Fiction:** Continuation

**Rated:** PG-13

**Disclaimer:** The character and names of Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi-sensei. This story belongs to me.

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** NejiTen

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Summary:** When Tenten was found by Hyuuga Hizashi at an early age, she had no recollection who she was except her name. Feeling in debt, Tenten devoted her life to serve the Hyuuga family. In due time, she became the servant of none other than Hyuuga Neji after vowing to watch over him, a promise she made to her savior. However, Tenten gets more than she bargains for when she struggles to understand him. Despite that, she strives to be at his side, whether he likes it or now. A story of devotion and duty. This is the story about Tenten's life, the reason she why has no family name because she is a servant of the Hyuuga household.

* * *

**Quixotic Relapse**

_Part Three_

* * *

**Tenten**

Acceptance was very hard to find, especially within the Hyuuga compound. The people around us would never cease to remind us the reality that Neji and I cannot be together. Of course, their feeble attempt to drive our friendship apart, the one we have build since childhood, rendered useless. Before I knew it, I found that time can very well be your enemy. Childhood memories, dreams, and wishes came to a halt when you become a shinobi. Years pass, and I realized that we are not children anymore. We have both grown into more mature human beings with high standards, morals, goals, and aspirations. Yet, apart of me would never forget the precious moments of our younger years. Sure, we were ignorant to the world around us, but that didn't make our childhood experience any less worthwhile. No matter how much I wanted, we couldn't go back to ways things were. You'd have to grow up sometime and the present was the best place to start.

* * *

Rumors had a tendency to travel far beyond the walls of the _Bunke_ household toward the _Souke_. Whether it was orally through maids, servants, or idle chatter, Hiashi heard them all. What interested him the most was that all of the rumors revolved around his nephew Neji and a certain servant named Tenten, who happen to be a member of his Genin team. At first, Hiashi merely set the issue aside. It was only natural for comrades to be fond of each other, sometimes overprotective. However, this issue did not leave his mind when he asked Neji to attend a formal dinner in the rejoice in the rebuilding of Konoha. At the invitation, Neji had a request of his own and that was for Tenten to accompany him.

The clan leader did not pass up the opportunity to meet with the young female that had the servants submit to such lowly tactics as to get rid of her. Furthermore, it was his twin brother that adopted the girl to be a servant, a fact he had not known until very late in the dinner that evening.

The dinner was nothing more than a presentation of wealth and power put together by the main household. Special preparations were made so that every detail met the upmost requirement of the Hyuuga elders. Hiashi himself made sure everything was going according to plan from managing the kitchen staff to decorations in the main reception room. Now all they need were the guests.

It wasn't surprising to know that both houses were invited for the light of the event. Every member arrived dressed in their best garments, all excited to attend and celebrate what seemed to be a peaceful gathering without strings attach. Politics were strictly kept out of conversations and Hiashi was firmed about it.

Among the first to arrive were the Hyuuga elders. Then, Neji showed up with his partner by his side. The moment they stepped through the door, the entire room had their full attention on them. Poised with her head held in a highly manner, the auburn female walked in sync with his nephew. Her hand rests calmly on his arm while a small but nervous smile radiate on her sun-kiss face. Dressed in elegant indigo robes, his aged eyes did not miss the golden threads of chrysanthemum flowers that heighten her simple beauty. Indeed, she was a sight among them, possessing large hazel orbs that contrast their own blood limit trademark of pale-colored eyes. The twin of Hizashi didn't have to be psychic to know what everyone was thinking at that time. The two could have easily been marked as a couple by untrained eyes.

"Hiashi-sama." Both Neji and Tenten bowed their heads at the same time, showing their respects to the clan leader. "This is Tenten," the prodigy inclined his head toward the brunette beside him.

"We are honored that have invited us into your home," she said, though he could tell that the words were forced. Her firm grip on Neji's arm, however did raise a few eyebrows, nevertheless his nephew didn't seem to mind.

"My pleasure," Hiashi cleared his throat before the servants showed them to their seats, which they both were more than happy to oblige.

If anything, Neji knew that Tenten hated attention, especially when it was from every other member of the Hyuuga family, both houses included. After sitting on the tiny cushion, Tenten adjusted herself accordingly, releasing the nervous grip on his arm. She was careful, spreading the silk from under her so that they would not wrinkle. Then, out of paranoia and to get her mind off of the fact that people were staring at her, the kunoichi started to arrange Neji's outer layer of robes as well. It was either that or cripple her teammate's arm, which she would rather not do even if he was the very reason why she's in this current predicament.

"Tenten, this is only a formal dinner, not a war conference," the Hyuuga told her when he looked down. Through the silk fabrics, he could see that she had concealed weapons strapped to her thigh. Leave it to Tenten to be prepared.

"Just in case. It's better to be safe than sorry," she gave him a wink and a smug smile. He found it odd she would act so smoothly, a few minutes ago, she was ranting until his ears wanted to bleed. "So, Neji," the tone of her voice was casual as if the whispers around them were mere white noise. "Why did you pick this color for my robes?" Her brow lifted up in amusement. "Is _**pink **_too distracting?" Then, she giggled slightly, covering the lower half of her face with her sleeves.

"No," he simply answered her, aware that his ears were heating up. "It was the only color they have in such short notice." The lie came out easily. He had those robe made a week in advance, in which he had chose the colors himself.

"Right," Tenten rolled her eyes. "But you never know, _**pink**_ might actually look good on you." The servant came over to their table and poured white tea into their porcelain cups. Looking around the room, she saw that many members of the Hyuuga family, especially the males did not falter to keep their eyes off her. Neji, too took notice and sent silent glares across the room. "You know, I'm not the only one they're staring at," she referred to the females around them. Among Hinata and Hanabi, the other female members of the Hyuuga clan stole quick glances at him despite his stoic behavior toward them.

"Not interested," Neji informed his teammate as the food was set on their table.

"Aww, don't be like that," the weapon mistress teased. "I bet they just want to get to know you, with you being a prodigy and all." Her eyes lit up in amusement. "This is like a family reunion." This time, her friend gave her a skeptically look. With the stuffy atmosphere, it was nowhere near the 'family' sense, nor familiarity. "Okay, scratch that," she laughed after checking the temperature of her tea.

"If this is a family reunion, that would mean that you are my wife," the words came out smoothly from his lips.

"What?" Tenten exclaimed half-heartily, accustomed to that word since she had no problem using endearments when they once played "house" in their youth. "As if," she scoffed while memories flooded back. "You'll make a lousy husband, Neji. I remember one time you refused to kiss our children good night." The prodigy's left eye twitched.

"You wanted me to kiss a dirty pinecone that you picked up from the ground," he reminded her. "It was wrapped in dead leaves."

"You could have at least pretended!" Neji ignored her mock anger until she raised her hand and patted him on the shoulder. "You have much to learn, young one," With that, she giggled, slightly recalling his young logic that the husband was always suppose to be older than the wife.

"Hn." He turn his glance away from Tenten and the two were silent while Hiashi presented his speech.

The food was simple, yet arrangement and preparation was beyond comparison. Vegetables were cut in delicate floral shapes and the meat, poultry, and fish were arranged in such a way that it would be rude to ruin it. Nevertheless, Tenten and Neji ate what was on their plate never minding the critical eyes that lingered upon them. Of course, the two have perfect table etiquette. They slurped quietly when eating noodles, chewed with their mouth closed, and never set their elbows on the table.

It didn't take long for Hiashi to notice their mannerism as well as their personality that seemed to balance each other. They were quite fitting. What caught his eye was the way his nephew acted when others showed interest in his partner during the evening. Nevertheless, they were young, their mind have not yet fully matured to realize what the future would hold in store for them. In the time being, Hiashi planned to keep his observations in the dark, knowing that one day Neji would eventually come to his senses. After all, marrying anyone outside of the Hyuuga family was a taboo, especially if that person was a servant.

* * *

Her hand brushed through the dark tangled hair and she frowns at its shortness. Brows furrowed, Tenten decided to try a different approach and grabbed another handful of the long locks before setting it down again. She sighed and raked her fingers along the scalp, pulling gently at the strands.

"I don't get it!" She exclaimed. "How can your hair grow that fast?" Neji, who sat down with a mirror in front of him gave her an irritated look. The length of his hair was now a little past his shoulders, the same length as her own.

"For the eleventh time, Tenten. I don't know. Perhaps-"

"You are a mutant," she accused him, pointing a finger toward his nose as if the dramatic gesture would make him confess. Neji glared at her.

"Can you just wash my hair like you are suppose to?" He would do it himself but he couldn't afford to get his bandages wet. If Tsunade found that he was disobeying her orders, there was hell to pay. The Hyuuga was under strict orders to keep his bandages dry for at least three days after being dismissed from the hospital. It was either that, or stay in the hospital for another week, which he was sick of considering he was bedridden for two straight weeks.

"Fine, Neji-_sama_," the kunoichi gave up torturing him and proceeded to lather his head with good smelling shampoo. After rising, conditioning, and drying it the pair returned to Tenten's room where she happily push him down onto his seat. "Now, sit." Turning around to find the necessary items, Tenten didn't waste time to grab what she needed. Neji, on the other hand, looked like he was going to jump out the window. How did he ever agree to this? Oh yeah, because he was a 'nice person', according to his childhood friend. "This is not going to hurt, trust me." In a few moments, Neji's hair was tied into two buns just like her own. With her hands on her hips, she examined her work and broke into a laughing fit. "You look so girly!"

"All right, time's up," he reached up to grab the rubber bands out of his hair when Tenten stopped him.

"NO! I didn't get a picture of you yet!" Picture? When did he- "Say cheese!" A flash appeared before his eyes and he had to blink to adjust his blurred vision.

"Tenten, give me that camera," he growled dangerously.

"Make me!" The girl hid the camera behind her.

"Tenten," he sounded angry, or tried to.

"Come on, this is the first time I've seen your hair like this!"

"It will be the last, I assure you." Once again, his hands went up to his head. Without thinking, Tenten went over to him and slapped his hands away from ruining her handiwork until Neji grabbed her wrist. The next moment, Tenten was pinned to the ground with Neji on top of her.

"Hey, a deal's a deal."

"We didn't have a deal."

"Yes, we did," she protested. "The deal was that if I wash your hair, you'll let me put your hair in buns."

"You didn't specify how long." The weapon mistress cursed under her breath.

"At least let me keep the photo," Tenten pouted.

"No," reaching up, Neji ripped the camera from her tight grip. He thought he was going to get away when his friend suddenly brought her knee to his stomach.

"Oops," she mocked before pulling weapons from nearby to pin him to the wall. They were in her room after all. The spar between them didn't last that long until she came up with different plan of action. "How about you be a good gentleman and give me the camera, in return I won't," the mischievous glint was in her eyes, "develop this film," she up the roll in victory.

"Why do you want the camera when you already have the film," Neji questioned her logic. For all he know, she could run out the door now. He thought for a bit before responding. His reputation (or what was left of it) was on the line. "Fine. We meet in the middle," he negotiated. The pair moved slowly toward the center of the large room, keeping eye contact with each other the whole time. "On the count of three." Steady hands reach toward middle, one holding a weapon and the other a camera. With lightening quick reflexes, Neji pushed the camera into Tenten's hand and at the same time hooked the back of her leg, causing her to lose her balance. The kunoichi landed on her back, arms immobile above. But as quick as he, Tenten had a plan of her own. The second Neji was close enough, she pushed forward and pressed her lips against him. In his shock, she slid from under him, grabbing the camera with her.

"I win!" Tenten cheered. Neji, on the other hand realized that his friend had tricked him, and above all, she kissed him! Why would she- And another flash blinded him. "I think I'm going to call this one, 'Neji, after the kiss'." Her hands moved in midair as if the words would project to him. "You look so adorable!" Then, it was too late. Interrupting her moment of gloating, Neji reached his senses and tackled his sparring partner to the ground. This time, he showed no mercy. Without warning, he slammed his lips onto her own. Tenten's body froze from under him.

"I think I'll call this, 'Just Tenten'." He smirked, and he dove down to claim her lips once again. The film and camera was left forgotten on the floor.

* * *

"Neji, put me down!" The kunoichi ordered, pounding her fists on her teammate. Her efforts were in vain as the Hyuuga male ignored her and advanced forward through the forest. "I can walk on my own! It's just a sprained ankle!"

"This is for your own good, Tenten." With her weight barely weighing him down, Neji went ahead and increased his speed. Over the clearing, he could see signs ahead. "There is a village nearby." His companion grunted in frustration and defeat, slumping her body onto his back and shoulders while she hung her arms loosely around his neck. "We can rest here a while if you want."

"Fine," she grumbled. Anything was better than having your comrade carry you all the way home. She wasn't some weak girl who cannot manage to walk home after hurting her ankle from dodging an attack made by an assassin. Their mission was to retrieve a secret scroll, which at the moment was being taken back to Konoha by Lee and Gai. From the start of the mission, they tried to go undercover, but in the end targets were sent to collect the highly priced scroll as well. As a result, combat broke out until Neji finished the job.

Setting Tenten down on a stool, Neji gestured the waiter to take their order. They were in a noodle shop. Looking over the menu, chocolate orbs quickly skimmed down the restaurant's tasteful but fast food items.

"I'll have a large bowl of _sui gow mein_ and a large _wanton mein_ with thick noodles and fish balls, an order of fried tofu, _gai-lan_ in oyster sauce, sliced barbeque pork, _cha siu bau, _and _dan tat_!" The brunette declared when she set down the menu. The waiter looked at her with disbelief while Neji shook his head. Tenten had always been passionate about Chinese food.

"A-are you sure?" The poor boy stood writing down the names of her order.

"Oh, a two glasses of _dong lai cha_, please!" A big smile erupted on her face. Noticing the look the waiter was giving her, she assured him that all the food was for Neji and herself. Apparently, she had forgotten her embarrassment of Neji giving her a piggy back ride.

"Why order so much?" The prodigy inquired when he read the contents of the menu which his friend barely looked at before ordering.

"Because," Tenten reached over and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, rubbing them against the napkins that were on the table. "I suffered a whole week without my Chinese food, plus I'm injured! I just want to enjoy some nice, homemade, authentic, Chinese food!" She passed a pair to Neji, setting it down beside him. The waiter came back and present them with the _dong lai cha_, which was cold milk tea. Immediately, the auburn haired girl took a big long sip. "Drink up!" Neji tried his drink and before long, he emptied it. "Another two glasses!" She waved over at the poor waiter, who came toward them in a rush.

After a few moments of waiting, their food came steaming hot. A bowl of _sui gow_ mein was set in front of Tenten. _Sui gow_ were dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, bamboo shoots, and fungi. The _wanton mein_, a bowl filled with thick noodles and dumplings with pork filling, shrimp, and fungi was placed in front of Neji. Each bowl also had plump white fish balls floating in the broth. Along with them, _gai-lan_, known as Chinese kale was topped off by brown oyster sauce and minced garlic, thinly sliced barbeque pork, _cha siu bau_ (white buns filled with the same pork), and _dan tat_, which were egg custard tarts crowded their table.

Placing a teaspoon of chili sauce in her broth, Tenten lifted the food into her mouth. Beside him, Neji stiffened when he heard her moan. The food must be good. Then, digging in, the Hyuuga plucked the dumpling into his mouth. It was delicious. Soon, their bowls were empty and they polished off the side dishes and finished with dessert.

"That was so good, I don't care if I don't ever walk again!" Tenten exclaimed while she stretched only to find that her body isn't ready to move yet. Neji looked over and examined her. Then, without thinking, he touched the corner of her lip to remove a flake of the egg custard tart that was stuck on there. "Thanks Neji." He only grunted in response before holding a napkin to her face.

"Are you ready to leave, now?" He almost chuckled at the expression she gave him.

"Hello! Full stomach," she pointed at her adominal that was slightly risen. "Let's just sit here and enjoy ourselves, ne?" The waiter came to their table with their check, which Neji pass back without even bothering to look at before handing the boy more than enough.

"There is no need to return the change," the Byakugan wielder told him. Tenten rolled her eyes and rested her chin upon her open palms. Coming from a privilege family, Neji was far from spoiled. He always work hard for his earnings and did not fail to reward people for their well-mannered services.

"Did I cash you out for the entire week?" Neji shook his head. "Good, because I would feel bad if I did, Neji-_sama_." The girl in buns stuck out her tongue childishly, ignoring the glare from her teammate. "Thanks for the food though!"

"No problem." Tenten took a look around the restaurant filled with regular customers and happy couples. How she envied their interaction. Living in the Hyuuga household, she was constantly being judged. Outside of the walls, the only companionship she had was her teammate Lee and her teacher. Occasionally, she would bump into the rookies in the market, other than that, Neji remains to be her closest friend. "What are you thinking?" Amber orbs met his gaze.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just wondering what it would be like to be normal," she gestured at the family eating noodles. The little girl opened her mouth as the mother fed her with a spoonful of broth and dumplings. Neji observed the scene that unfold before her. Automatically, he asked her a question.

"Would you like to have children one day?" Tenten tilted her head to the side.

"Of course," she beamed, clasping her hands together. "I want a little boy and a girl. I would spoil them with clothes, dress them up in little cute outfits, booties, and everything!" The brunette remembered one time when they had to babysit a client. Though that kid was totally spoiled, she kept her cool when inside, she wanted more than anything to strangle the brat. Despite that, it didn't stop her from wanting to be a mother. "I'll teach them how to be good human beings and if they want, I will train them."

"What about the father?" Neji crocked an eyebrow.

"He can train them too," she waved it off as if she would do a better job. "Besides, I have to find him first! What about you, Neji?"

"Eventually, I will have children when the time is right."

"How many do you want?" She asked so innocently, he didn't have the heart to narrow his eyes at her in suspicion.

"A boy, naturally."

"Just one?" Tenten held up a finger to emphasize her friend's calculation. "Why not two?"

"If it's necessary," he said. The weapon mistress cringed. Obviously he wants an heir.

"Well, I think it's better to have two so that the older sibling will have someone to play with!" Instead of answering her, Neji turned his head to the side. "I bet you are going come to your senses when your wife nags you for another child," she teased him. Her teammate threw her a smirk.

"Is that so?" Crossing his arms, the look on his face convey that she was challenging him to something.

"Yeah!" Slamming her hands on the table, she towered over him. "I will make you regret the day you deny your wife of another child," she declared. Suddenly, it was quiet. When Tenten turned around to see what caused this, she found the entire restaurant of people staring at her. Straight at her, frozen on the spot. Women covered the ears of their children as if what just came out of her mouth was taboo. Tenten choked out a laugh and apologize for disturbing their dinner, fuming in her seat when she sat down. Did she just announce to the entire roomful of people that wanted Neji to get her pregnant? She banged her head against the table and looked up at Neji with hatred in her eyes. "This is your fault!"

"It's not my fault you decided to shout-"

"I didn't shout!" Once again, the attention were on these two until someone yelled out, 'Get a room!' It made Tenten's cheeks even more red, adding to the flush tint from her embarrassment.

"Let's go home," Neji suggested, holding out his hand. Being stubborn, Tenten refused him and walked ahead, her ankle fully healed.

"I'm going to make sure your household is filled with loud, crying, babies, more than enough to drive you crazy!" She huffed.

"Is that a promise?" The door slammed shut behind him.

"Yes!" Following his teammate, Tenten had no idea how much she amused him. The idea of having children didn't occur to him since he was so focused on training and surpassing ranks to achieve the best in life. Yet, part of him wished that all of what they had discuss today could become true. He wouldn't mind becoming a father, protecting his offspring from the ugly world. However, before he can even think of having children, he had to get pass an obstacle first, and that was not to find the mother of his children but to escape the Hyuuga household. For her, he would do anything to make her dreams come true, even if everything seem to go against him.

* * *

**A/N:** Just reading the last story made me feel hungry. Naturally, _sui gow mein_ is my favorite whenever I eat noodles. You can probably guess what kind of Asian I am. LoL. What is your favorite Chinese food? If you answer any Americanized "Chinese food" like General Zhao's Chicken, Beef and Broccoli stir-fry, Orange Chicken, then I might forgive you (if you review)!

* * *

Thank you for reading!


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